There have been a number of approaches to the cultivation of plants and crops. In particular, where water supplies are limited, cultivation systems that maximize water usage and minimize water loss. One such method is a system that uses no soil and is known as the Nutrient Film Technique (NFT). In NFT, a shallow stream of water containing dissolved nutrients is re-circulated past the bare roots of a plant in a watertight gully. The gully of an NFT system is typically a single piece comprised of circular, oval, or square pipe with openings formed along the top surface for holding plants while still allowing the root to extend into the interior of the gully. The gullies themselves are typically mounted on a slope so that the nutrient water can flow past the roots without pooling in a particular area. The design goal of the system is to have as thin a film of liquid as possible. As the liquid flows out the lower sloped end of the gully, it is re-circulated via a pump to the other end of the pipe to continuously flow past the roots.
A disadvantage of current NFT systems is the design of the gullies themselves. The gullies suffer from several drawback including shipping problems, flow problems, inefficient water use, and maintenance problems.